Summer Solstice
by lilgreendesire
Summary: *THIRD CHAPTER* Kel/Roald - Kel is trying to forget about Neal - Roald is about to be engaged to be married - and then there's Cleon - Who is going to end up heartbroken?
1. Summer Solstice

Disclaimer: Obviously I do not own any of Tamora Pierce's characters, lol! Although I do dream.  
  
Kel stared numbly down at her plate. * I won't let him get to me. I am Stone * She glanced up into Neal's gleeful green eyes and knew it was no use. Why did he have to go for all the pretty court ladies? They were so shallow. Even at the moment he was enthusiastically telling Owen and Cleon about Lady Elanor, who was new in court. She wasn't all that pretty in Kel's opinion. Not as pretty as the last one. * Anyway, he'll be over her in a week * She thought, then thought better of it, * He's not worth it, forget about him * she glanced at Neal again and looked down shamefully as she caught his eye,   
"Hey Kel, do you want to hear this poem I wrote last night? It's not my best, but I'm sure Lady Elanor would like it!"  
"Like you'll ever actually send it," Cleon teased.  
It was all too much for Kel. She could feel the tears welling up, and she couldn't cry in front of everyone. Stumbling bindly, she muttered her excuses and left. Aware that everyone's eyes were on her she hurried out of the hall and back to her room.  
As soon as Kel reached her chambers, she threw herself onto her bed and let out all the emotions that she had kept bottled up for so long. She hated Neal; for ignoring her and for treating her like a younger sister, although deep down she knew that she couldn't. She wiped her face on her sleeve and sat up as someone knocked at her door.   
She hesitated, ashamed that Lalasa might see her in such a state. No one had seen her cry since she was little and her brother had dangled her over the balcony by her feet.  
"Kel, please let me in," It was a boy's voice and took Kel completely by surprise.  
* Please don't let it be Neal *   
"Kel, open the door," He said softly. Kel winced as she recognised Roald's voice. She tentatively did as she was bid. An order was an order.  
As soon as Kel opened the door, she felt immediately embarrassed, and facing Roald she turned red and shifted her gaze to the floor.  
* I am rock, I am rock *  
"Kel...Are you ok?"  
"mmm..." She murmered.  
"Can I come in?"  
She stepped aside obediently as Roald shut the door behind him and sat on the end of her bed.  
"Look, about Neal..." She winced at his name.  
"I know you like him - the way you look at him..." He trailed off, looking for some sort of reaction from Kel, who just stared glumly at the floor.  
"Kel...Look at me," Unwillingly she tilted her head and looked straight into his eyes.   
* Oh Goddess, what does he think I look like, my face is such a mess *  
* Since when did you care what Roald thought about you? * the reasonable side of her snapped.  
"I'm fine," She replied shakily "and I don't like Neal. Not like that, anyway. I'm just tired," she added.  
He gazed at her intensely. Was he worried, concerned, relieved even.  
"Look, do you want me to stay with you, til you feel a bit better? We have a lesson soon..."  
"You'd better go," She mumbled, "I don't want you to get in trouble, waiting for me." Roald stood up reluctantly and hesitating for a moment, he placed a hand gently under Kel's chin and pressed his lips to hers, before pulling away abruptly,  
"Sorry Kel, I...I mean, I'll leave you alone now, sorry..." He walked out quickly leaving Kel even more confused than she had been before. 


	2. Star Gazing

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I wrote this fic ages ago (about two years almost!), but I never got round to finishing it!! I found most the start of this chapter on the computer the other day, so I altered some and figured I ought to update it, lol! So here's the next chapter and I made sure that it was much longer than the first, lol! à 

* * *

Kel sighed and wiped a hand over her forehead. She had struggled slowly and painfully through her history assignment, but her mind kept wandering. It had taken all of the effort Kel could muster to actually concentrate on her lessons that afternoon. She stared blankly out of the window. None of her friends had come to ask her to study in the library yet, but she knew that if they had she wouldn't have gone. Her mind kept dumbly replaying what had happened that afternoon. Why had Roald come to see her? * He probably felt sorry for me, because I was upset *, she thought, and was surprised to find that she even felt disappointed. * But what about Neal? * She paused briefly before realising that since lunch she had barely even thought about him. 

Sighing one last time, Kel stood up, picked up the arithmetic she was working on, and wandered slowly down the hall. She knew where Roald's rooms were – she had often fetched him with Owen on the way to the library, but today she walked right past before realising what she had done. Hesitating, Kel knocked gently. She stood shocked for a moment when Roald opened the door. Deep down, she hadn't expected him to actually _be_ in his room. He was usually in the library with the others. She recovered herself and glanced up. His hair was ruffled and he looked tired as if he hadn't been able to concentrate much either. Kel also noted that Roald looked just as surprised to see her, as she was him. 

"Kel!?" 

"hi…um, I was just wandering if you could help me with my work…" she trailed off. 

"…Sure," He mumbled stepping aside to let Kel in. She took a spare chair and pulled it up to a table. 

"Are you ok Kel?" Roald asked gently. 

She nodded dumbly.

He paused and took the sheets Kel was holding, 

"What work are you stuck on?"

"Arithmetic,"

Roald looked up slowly and frowned. 

"I thought you were good at that…You usually end up helping _me_ out."

Kel glanced at him, embarrassed. 

"Oh, I can do the sums, I'm just not so good at equations…"

Roald hesitated, picked up his ink pen and started to explain where she was going wrong. They were silly mistakes – Kel knew that. Normally she would have had no trouble, but she found it hard to keep her mind on the work. Roald went through three of the questions before looking up again. 

"Are you ok with the rest?" 

Again Kel nodded. Roald picked up the parchments, brushing Kel's hands. She took the work quickly trying not to look up at him, but she could feel his gaze resting on her as she left. 

* * * 

"Hey, guess what," Neal began excitedly, through a mouth full of food. 

"I have absolutely no idea," Merric answered dryly, knowing what Neal was about to say. 

"I've just heard that there's some new ladies in court – they arrived this morning. I think one of them is your sister Kel," he added thoughtfully. 

Kel shrugged and forced herself to focus on her meal. 

"Anyway," he continued quickly, "I've introduced myself already. I was thinking of asking one of them to the ball this evening,"

"What about…" Merric creased his forehead, trying to think of her name, and failing.

"Oh, the other one – what about your poems?" 

Neal looked at Merric for a moment, before shrugging, as if he couldn't quite remember either. Instead, he carried on eating his meal. 

"Who are you taking Roald?" Cleon asked curiously.

Kel glanced up at Roald now. It was the first time since she had sat down to eat. Roald looked up too from the table awkwardly, flicking the coal black hair from his eyes. 

"I was asked to escort Lady Eleanor," he said slowly, trying not to catch Kel's eye. He didn't need to; she already had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach, but she forced herself to take another mouthful of food anyway. 

* * *

Kel hurried back to her room quickly after lunchtime that day. The others were getting ready for the ball that evening and she figured that if she hurried now, she might be able to get out of going at all. She had no such luck though. As she reached her door, she looked up to see Neal standing there awkwardly. He smiled at her as she walked up to him. 

"Hi Kel," he said lightly. She looked at him oddly.

"I thought _you_ were getting ready for the ball," she said forcing herself to grin at him, but he was staring at the floor.

"Um, yeah, well that's kind of the problem," he mumbled. "I don't really have any…" he looked up at Kel hopefully. 

"I was wondering if you were free at all?" he asked. Kel looked up at him, and frowned. If he'd asked her a few days ago, she realised, she'd have gladly accepted, but now – she didn't really feel anything for Neal in the way that she thought that she had – she looked down quickly, realising that she was staring.

"Well?" he said. He sounded only slightly impatient. Kel furrowed her brow. 

"Um…Ok Neal, you're right I _don't_ have anyone to go with," she answered somewhat reluctantly. She opened her mouth; about to ask what had happened to the new ladies in court he was talking about that morning, but decided against it. 

"Really? I mean thanks Kel, I'll see you in a bit," he said.

"Ok, tell the others I may be too late for an inspection though," she warned, as Neal hurried off.

Kel watched him and sighed, trying to work out why she had just agreed. Instead, she figured that Roald obviously wasn't all that bothered if he was going with Eleanor, anyway.

Kel entered her room and leant against the closed door. 

"Lady Kel, is that you," Lalasa's timid voice broke out from behind the partition. She emerged with a deep forest green dress over her arm.

"Lalasa!" Kel said exasperated, but grinned at her friend in spite of herself.

"I told you this morning I wasn't going!" Lalasa actually blushed, making herself busy with holding the dress up to see if it fit Kel properly.

"Sorry, I thought you might change your mind…" She drifted off, but Kel smiled at her. 

"Well anyway, you _were_ right," she said, "I guess I _did_ change my mind."

At this Lalasa hurriedly handed her the dress and some shoes and shooed her behind the partition to change. As ever, the dress Lalasa had made for her fitted perfectly, and although it was a little too long, she didn't have time to take the hem up. 

The dress itself looked pretty impressive. It was made of a darker green material, with gold thread around the low, square cut neckline. Kel sighed as Lalasa began to immediately fuss around with her hair – pins sticking out from her mouth. 

"Hold still!" Kel stopped wriggling and did as she was told. Eventually Lalasa finished, dabbing a deep red lip rouge on Kel as she walked through the door.

"Don't wipe it on your sleeve, you'll ruin the dress," Lalasa's worried voice followed her out. As promised, Neal was waiting for her outside, looking much smarted than usual. He fidgeted, and kept trying to redo the buttons on his cuff as they popped open. 

"Sorry, about the short notice," he said distractedly. Kel grinned at him. 

"It's ok, don't worry about it!" They both walked down the hall quickly, towards the ballroom. 

"Kel?" He said, concentrating on his sleeve buttons.

"Yes,"

"Um, do you think you'd mind terribly if I asked your sister to dance later," he mumbled. Kel cuffed him lightly on the arm.

"Neal, you don't have to ask _me_ to dance with her. You have to ask _her_." She said trying not to laugh. 

* * * 

The hall was really warm after they'd been dancing for a while and Kel's dress was making her feel hot and sticky. She had seen Roald come in earlier with Eleanor. He was wearing the royal blue of the house of Conté. He'd said hello to her, but the whole time, he had tried to avoid eye contact. She watched the floor as Neal finished dancing with a lady that she didn't recognise.

"Hey Kel," he said cheerily, walking towards her.

"You don't feel like another dance do you?" She shook her head.

"I'm way too tired already," 

"You know, your sister is actually really nice," he said, changing the subject. "I think she actually likes me!" 

Kel smiled inwardly. She knew that the chances were her sister was only being friendly. She was pretty good at not showing exactly how she was feeling. Which was probably moderate pain, Kel thought to herself. She had been observing Neal's amusing dance routine's from afar.

"Well, I'm really hot. I think I'm going to go outside for some fresh air."

Neal looked at her guiltily.

"Are you ok? Would you like me to escort you?" he said slowly. Kel tried not to smile. 

"No, I'm ok thanks Neal. Look my sister's over there, if you want to ask her to dance again," she said, pointing her out. She watched him go, before walking through the side door, which led outdoors.

The fresh air was cool on her face, as soon as she stepped out of the castle. She was glad, that Lalasa had pulled her hair up, off from her neck, because she could feel the night-time breeze on the back of her neck. She wandered slowly round the gardens, aimlessly, taking her shoes off and carrying them in one hand. The faint sound of music from the ballroom followed her out on the breeze. She was glad that Neal had at last found someone else to dance with. It meant that she was now able to have a rest from being spun around the room until she was dizzy. It had made the blood run to her head, and the hot air had made her feel faint. 

Kel lifted her face skywards. The sky was clear tonight, which meant that she could see the stars better. She looked across searchingly, trying to remember what she'd been told about astronomy. There was one pattern of stars, which she recognised immediately, and as she scrunched her eyes up trying to remember the name she felt a cool hand on her shoulder. It took her a few moments for her eyes to get used to the dark again.

"Neal?" she said, spinning around; but it was Roald.

"What are you doing outside?" she asked slowly. He shrugged and looked up at her.

"Probably the same reason as you," he answered before adding, "I danced with so many different ladies – I started to forget their names after a while," he said lightly. "My father makes me introduce myself to everyone!" 

Kel nodded slowly. She would hate to have to dance with so many people she knew nothing about. She realised that it must be worse for Roald as he was shy meeting new people. He was looking at her now, running a hand through his raven black hair. Kel suddenly realised that she was shivering, even though her skin still felt warm. Roald noticed too.

"Are you cold?" he asked gently. Kel shook her head, pulling the sleeves of her dress over her hands. Roald reached up and placed a hand on her cheek. It felt freezing against her skin. 

"No wonder you wanted to come outside," he said lightly. "Did Neal dance you to death?" 

Kel looked up quickly at the mention of Neal's name. 

"No, he was more interested in getting my sister to dance with him," she replied coolly, smiling at him. She realised that Roald was looking at her oddly. Eventually he glanced up at the trees behind her. In the silence, Kel could still hear the soft music being carried along the breeze. Roald must have noticed it too. He looked at her again; his eyes seemed intense. Slowly he stretched forwards his hand.

"Would you like to dance?" he asked quietly. Kel smiled, glad that that it was dark and he couldn't see her blush. Without replying, she took his hand, feeling the shiver run through her again as he held her close. 

The hands on the back of her neck were cool. He felt cold next to Kel's warm skin. She turned her head and rested it on his shoulder. 

"You're cold," she whispered. Roald though for a second.

"A bit," he agreed slowly, turning his face against the back of Kel's neck. 

"And you can't have been bored of dancing, or you wouldn't have asked me to," she said carefully, as if trying to make a point. He tilted his head lightly, and Kel felt him shrug. 

"So, how come you were outside?" He paused for a second kissing the back of her neck lightly. 

"I saw you come outside," he said. "I wasn't sure if you were upset or something…and I wanted to see you alone," he admitted. 

"And why was that?" Kel asked putting on an interested voice. She was sure, that if she could feel Roald smiling, then he would know that she was blushing. Roald didn't answer. She could feel his head lift from her shoulder and for a moment, she was staring into the sky above behind him, and then just as soon, she could feel his lips pressed against hers. Eventually he pulled away and stood up straight, amusement dancing in his eyes. She let him wrap his hands around both of hers. 

"I should have done that before," he said quietly. Kel didn't reply. She looked up towards the ballroom, noticing that Neal was standing on the doorway, surrounded by light. 

"Oh, I think Neal's looking for me already," she whispered. 

"I told him I was going outside," she explained. Roald put a finger on her lips. 

"Don't worry, he can't see us over here," he said, wrapping his arms around her gently. 

"As long as we don't move." Kel stood still, until she saw that Neal had got bored and gone back into the hall. He fiddled with the shoulder of Kel's dress absently.

"I guess we'd better go back inside, before we're missed," Roald murmured reluctantly. Kel sighed gently and slipped her feet back into her shoes, where she'd dropped them earlier. He took her hand and kissed it lightly, as he would a lady in the court. Kel smiled and cuffed him gently as he pulled her towards him by the same hand and then pressed his lips lightly to hers. 

She turned and left before him, making her way back to the ballroom. The faint music, that had reached her before, now becoming louder in volume the nearer she got to the castle. She could taste the mull wine on the air and was aware of Roald's gaze on her back as she walked through the door and back into the ballroom, where Neal greeted in exasperation.

* * *

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Hehe!!! Hope you liked it; I'm not sure whether I should continue or not, but if you have any suggestions on where the story line should head next, that would be cool!! Anyway, thanks for reading this far down! R&R?! Thanks, Kim x


	3. River Side

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Chapter 3:

Right, well here's the next instalment! I apologise for not posting it sooner – I've almost finished my exams now, so I should be able to update a lot faster in a few days. Anyway, thanks to everyone who reviewed and especially for the ideas and pointers. Chapter 3…

* * *

"Not having much luck with that, my Pearl?" Cleon asked grinning at Kel. Kel didn't see though; instead she dropped her quill on the library table without looking round. 

"Huh? Sorry Cleon, I didn't hear you," 

"Your work, are you having trouble?" He repeated. Kel glanced round at him distractedly. 

"Yes…I mean, no…Oh actually I've finished now anyway," she mumbled sweeping the pieces of parchment into a pile. Cleon spun round suddenly. 

"Hey Roald!" 

"Cleon," Roald nodded in acknowledgement. This time Kel _did_ turn round, catching his eye. Roald looked at Cleon pointedly. 

"Do you mind if I talk to Kel for a moment?" he muttered. Cleon stared back, giving him an odd look.

"Ok, sure." Kel watched him leave, before standing up to face Roald, who was shifting his weight uncomfortably. Kel's face fell momentarily, but she put on a blank expression. 

"I had to speak to my father this morning," he said slowly. Kel nodded politely, unable to figure out what significance that had. For a fleeting moment, she imagined that maybe he had told his father about her and he disapproved. 

"It's just, he said that there had been a change of circumstances and…" He fumbled for the right words.

"Are you ok?" Kel asked carefully. Roald shut his eyes briefly. 

"Look, I'm sorry Kel," he filled the gap between them in two strides and cupped Kel's face in his hands, pressing his lips to hers. He pulled away reluctantly.

"I didn't realise that my father had planned anything so soon," he said regretfully. Kel had a sinking feeling that she knew what was coming and braced herself, as Roald took a deep breath. 

"He's drawn up a treaty abroad and, well, he wants me to meet a lady…" He looked at Kel to make sure she understood. Kel felt like collapsing inside, but she struggled to keep her face impassive. 

"I guess it was inevitable," she said lightly, shrugging. She knew that it must be worse for Roald, having little choice over his own future, and she also knew that although he was trying to seem casual in front of her, it didn't reflect how he was feeling. Roald didn't try to answer. He smiled briefly at Kel.

"I'll see you later," he said gently, leaving. 

* * * 

"What did Roald want to talk to you about so urgently?" Cleon asked curiously, as Kel caught up with him. Kel shrugged and quickly changed the subject, turning to Cleon with decision. 

"Cleon, do you want to go riding for a bit?" He looked at Kel strangely. 

"Riding?"

"Yes, riding as in horses!" Kel answered cuffing him lightly on the sleeve. Finally his face broke into a grin. 

"Sure, why not, so long as it doesn't require racing, my diamond. I don't feel like being beaten again this week."

Kel pretended to scrunch up her face in distaste.

"Do I really look like a diamond to you?" she asked, as they walked towards the stables. 

"Your face reflects the sun, as a diamond reflects the light," Cleon replied dreamily. Kel rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"Oh, but you mean that I'm sharp and have many faces too, do you?" she muttered darkly, noting Cleon's sudden horrified look with a grin.

* * * 

Kel was awoken by a loud knocking on her door. 

"Yes, who is it?" Kel asked groggily. She heard laughing on the other side of the door. 

"It's us!" She heard Neal answer. Kel groaned and sat up, changing her night clothes for a shirt and breeches. 

"Ok, I'm coming, wait a minute," she said impatiently. 

Eventually, she opened the door, and immediately Cleon and Neal walking into her room and started picking up her clothes.

"Hey, what in the name of the Goddess are you doing with my stuff," she demanded, annoyed.

"_You_ are coming camping," Neal said firmly, and without looking off.

"We only have two days off left," Kel complained, "and I don't intend to spend it in the mud!" 

This time Neal did look up, feigning sympathy. 

"Well I would let you get away with it…but we've already informed your knight master, so there's no backing out now!"

Kel glared at him, infuriated, but kept her mouth shut. She had a feeling that Roaul had probably put them up to it anyway, as he knew she hated being stuck in the castle for too long. Instead she sighed and strode across the room to pack some clothes. 

Eventually; once Kel was sure that she had packed she would need into a saddlebag, she went with Cleon and Neal to the stables. Kel couldn't quite work out why Neal and Cleon would want to actually _go _camping in the first place. 

"How many other people did you force into going too?" she muttered. 

Cleon glanced across at her. 

"Well Neal managed to drag Merric out; albeit kicking and screaming," he added pointedly, "The King wants Roald to stay in court for a while, but he's meeting us there later…although he took some persuading too." 

"I wonder why!" Kel mumbled. She heaved her saddlebags up over Peachblossom, and looked at Neal suspiciously. 

"Why exactly do you two want to go camping in your free time. Neal you _hate_ camping!" 

"Oh?" Neal looked at Kel surprised. "Didn't you hear? We're meeting up with my cousin's squad on the other side of the royal forest," Neal said, saddling his horse. Kel shook her head in disbelief, but didn't reply.

* * * 

The journey didn't seem to take as long as Kel had thought it would, which was probably due to Neal and Merric's constant chattering in her ear. The camp itself was larger than she had imagined as well, and she was surprised to see that Dom's squad had already arrived and set up camp. A man called Farros greeted them at the gate and led them to a place where they could yoke their horses. Carefully, Kel tied Peachblossom up, away from the other horses and removed her saddlebags. 

"You already have a tent set up," Someone said cheerfully behind Kel. She spun round coming face to face with Dom. 

"Oh Hi Dom," Kel mumbled, before adding, "You shouldn't have bothered, I can manage myself." Dom laughed gently. 

"Don't worry, it wasn't me!" He answered, showing Kel where her sleeping quarters would be. 

"How did you know your squad know that we were going to be here?" Kel murmured suspiciously. Dom looked back at her with piercing green eyes, and shrugged mysteriously. Silence stretched between them. 

"We didn't…Several of our number were injured in battle; they won't be needing their tents. Anyway, I'd better go and see how my little cousin Meathead is doing," Dom added grinning. He left Kel to unpack her stuff and tend to Peachblossom. 

Kel was cleaning Peachblossom's tack after supper, when Merric, Neal and Cleon walked into the tent, folding the flap up on her door. 

"Are you coming with us?" Merric asked sitting down on Kel's bedroll. Kel looked up, confused.

"Why? Where are you going?" She muttered. Neal looked at Cleon and back again. 

"Swimming," Neal replied cheerily. Kel made a double take. 

"Swimming?" She repeated. Neal nodded, unfazed.

"Down by the river," Merric added, when Kel didn't say anything. 

"Yes, well where else would you swim?" Neal said turning to Merric, exasperated, and knocked him on the head lightly.

"Are you going to come?" Cleon repeated, constraining himself not to add 'my flower' after Kel's earlier remark. Kel thought over for a while. 

"Ok…But I'm not going in the water; it's too cold to swim!" She complained. 

Kel put Peachblossom's tack away safely and followed her friends down to the river, finding a tree hollow to rest against, trying not to be embarrassed as the boy's took off their shirts.

As soon as Merric stepped into the water, he yelped from the cold, and climbed back out, but eventually all three were splashing about madly and jumping in from the side. Kel felt a small pang of jealousy that they were having so much fun, but for the most part she looked on, grinning at their antics. Eventually Merric decided that he was too cold, climbing out for the last time. 

"Hey, we haven't finished yet!" Neal called out indignantly. He pulled himself onto the riverbank running after Merric; closely followed by Cleon. 

Kel sighed to herself, wondering if she should wait for them to get back or not, and eventually deciding to wait. Instead, she walked across to the edge of the riverbank and, rolling up her breeches, dangled her feet into the cool water. ater a while she felt someone stand next to her. 

"They haven't been back here yet."

"Who haven't?" Kel glanced up to see Roald standing above her. She tried not to show her surprise. 

"Sorry, I thought you were Merric," she said quietly, shifting her gaze back to the river. Roald laughed gently. 

"Yeah, I heard them all the way back at camp," he said good-naturedly. She heard him stretching his arms, but he said nothing for a while. 

"Haven't you been in the water yet?" he asked, grinning. Kel shook her head. 

"Too cold." 

"Oh well, if _you're_ not going in then I will," Roald said, "I've been travelling a good part of the day." 

Kel kept her gaze fixed on the water as Roald stripped off his shirt and rolled the legs of his breeches up. 

The water came up to his middle as he waded out into the centre of the river. 

"Why didn't you come earlier?" Kel asked to start conversation, before realising her mistake. Kel looked at Roald through the dusk, but his face had fallen expressionless. 

"My father wanted to discuss some things with me," he answered. "Anyway, they were not that important," he added, striding back across the river. In one movement, he had scooped Kel up into his arms and walked back to the middle of the water with her, despite her protests.

"Roald!" she exclaimed loudly. She clung onto his neck tightly, kicking her legs wildly as they dipped into the water's surface. Roald stood still, grinning at her until she stopped moving, and Kel was aware of his bare chest against her. She tilted her head to meet his gaze, in silence. The long pause was eventually broken, by the padding of bare feet along the bank. 

"Hey Kel…" Cleon called across the water. He stopped in his tracks; his dry clothes hung over one arm. At the same instant Kel pulled away from Roald's grasp.

The loud splash of Kel hitting the water filled the silence. Neither Cleon nor Roald could help but laugh as Kel stood fully clothed and dripping with water. When the laughter subsided, Roald could see mixed emotions in Cleon's face.

"Ok Cleon?" he asked with exaggerated cheerfulness. Cleon nodded in acknowledgement. 

"You made it then." It was Roald's turn to nod. The two boys looked at each other momentarily. 

"Right, well I guess Kel had better find some dry clothes then," Roald said motioning to the bank. Kel turned back to Roald, scooping water into her hands and splashing it into his face. Roald choked, looking back at her through a mop of black hair. 

"Hey, what was that for?" He said is mock indignation.

Kel said smiling innocently at him and waded across to the bank, where Cleon gave her a hand up.

* * *

AN: Thanks for reading this far. I kind of had a debate with myself as to how much detail to put in, especially between scenes, and in the end I edited some parts out because I didn't think they were needed. Anyway, I hope it was ok, and if anyone has any further suggestions about where the plot should head, or any random ideas, that'd be cool. R&R!!! 


End file.
